Arugula Super Green Salad

So this one is so delicious it didn't last long enough for a picture!!!! I will make it again and show you how pretty it can be. This super green salad is so filled with vitamins and nutrition and packed with so much flavor.
A perfect summer salad.

Generous bowl of arugula
Large handful of curly parsley chopped fine
Half of an avocado cut into quarters
1 stalk of celery chopped
tablespoon  of pine nuts
tablespoon of pumpkin seeds
hearts of palm cut into pieces
teaspoon of capers   (are you seeing the green theme?)

 drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
sprinkle with course sea salt
squeeze fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar

Enjoy each and every bite of yumminess!

Mango MInt Lime Smoothie

I am having an obsession right now with mango's. Maybe it is how beautiful they look at the market when they are ripe. The different shades of orange, yellow, green and red are so enticing. The Mango Mint Lime

 smoothie I used to make at The Little Bird and it was one of the most popular "smoothie of the day".

On very hot days , like the ones we are experiencing on the east coast. this smoothie will refresh, quench your thirst, and give you a little natural sugar boost.

1/2 of a ripe mango

1/4 of a banana (just to give some texture)

handful of FRESH mint leaves

1/2 of fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup of organic apple juice

1/2 cup of ice

BLEND, DRINK, SMILE

Green Smoothie

For some people, green food is just too much to handle. For me,  green symbolizes "health". This yummy smoothie has all the sweetness your taste buds crave plus all the good vitamins and minerals your body needs. I start most of my days with one of these! If you aren't sure what some of the ingredients are , I have given you a little helpful glossary.

1/4 cup hemp milk
1/4 cup organic apple juice
1/2 banana
1/2 fresh mango
1 teaspoon raw maca powder
1 teaspoon spirulina powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ice cubes
Blend all together in a blender. Then Drink, Smile, Enjoy

Maca root powder is The Inca Superfood.  It is a root vegetable found in Peru that increases energy, regulates hormones , increases stamina . It is full of amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

Spirulina is a blue green algae that is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and carotenoids. Helps to improve the immune system and contains complex B vitamins, zinc, and essential fatty acids.

Hemp Milk is made from the hemp seed. These seeds are rich in Omega fatty acids, contain calcium , zinc, folic acid, and vitamins A. E, B12.. Plus iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorous

little bird fruit salad

No morning would be complete without a healthy dose of fruit. Here is my morning fruit salad for today. The fruits change depending on my mood, but the rest stays the same.
                                            Papaya
                                            Grapefruit
                                            Strawberries
                                            Pineapple
                                            Banana
                                            Shredded coconut
                                            Raw almonds/or Raw walnuts
                                            Fresh lime juice
                                            Fresh Mint
                                            Sprinkle cinnamon
                                            Drizzle of honey
PREPARE, EAT, ENJOY!!!!!

the healthy bird lives on rainbow quinoa salad

health has always been very important to me. eating healthy is just one aspect of leading a healthy lifestyle. here is an easy delicious recipe that can help you on that path.
i started making this delicious quinoa salad at the little bird because visually it is so colorful and beautiful but also because it tastes yummy and is super healthy

1 cup of cooked quinoa
mix of baby red/yellow/orange peppers diced into small pieces
1/4 cup of scallion (chopped)
handful of parsley (chopped)
squeeze 1/2 of   fresh lemon juice
shave one whole lemon zest (the skin of the lemon)
drizzle extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

mix all together and chill
then in a large single serving bowl


bed of mixed greens
scoop of quinoa in the middle
2 pieces of avocado
sprinkle sunflower seeds
cracked pepper
another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Pictures soon to follow as soon as I can figure out how :)
any bloggers out there whom can  offer advice will be greatly appreciated
Eat and Enjoy!!

little bird morning's

little bird morning's started way earlier then i wake up now, and usually consisted of either natalie or i behind the counter sipping on some delicious counter culture coffee and listening to one of the many playlists i created just for the shop.my beverage of choice was a jojo special which was two shots of espresso, a touch of honey, and half soy/half almond milk. early morning song was usually fleet foxes,
" blue ridge mountain," or neil young "harverst moon" (my favorite morning song!).
creating the enviornment of the shop was always just as important to me as the food and beverage we served. i believe as humans we get the most out of our experiences by using all of our senses.
customers use to comment how before they knew who we were , they would think we were a florist. the front of the little bird was filled with the most beautiful flowers and plants i could find, especially in the early months before the heat wave killed most of our plants and then the cruel winter took over and made it impossible.
so here are early morning tips of the day! they make me smile and hope it will for you to

1. set an intention  = it isn't always easy getting out of bed but when you have a clear purpose for doing so it makes it that much easier

2. play music= listen to a song you love, it will get you out of your head and in the mood!

3. hot beverage= whether it is coffee or tea, i find a hot beverage to be very soothing, and to be honest sometimes that is all i need to get me out of bed; knowing there is a delicious coffee waiting for me

4. flowers/plants= if you don't have one, go get one today....you will be amazed how fast your spirits lift!

new adventure

for those of you who knew the little bird, it was my home and creation space. sadly the little bird closed in jan but for those of you who still want to follow and be a part of the next adventure please subscribe to my blog. it will be filled with all the recipes , smoothies, and all the baked goodies i created at the little bird and with jojo's vegan goodies. i will also share nutrition advice, inspirations, and whatever else makes the little bird fly. thank you so much for the continued support on the next leg of this journey